May 2007

Over the weekend I sat for this MTEST (Malaysian Teacher Selection Test) in Miri. I was so lucky actually not to miss the examination because frankly speaking I don’t know that I have to check it online to know whether I’m selected to sit for the examination. I thought that they will send me a letter confirming the date of exam so on and so forth. I was lucky that on that Friday morning, my dad read came across a small article that says, MTEST will be conducted on Saturday.

On the other hand I was actually supposed to be attending a friend’s wedding yesterday on the same day as the examinations but with locations far beyond reach, the exam was in Miri and the wedding was in Kuching. I told Mar before hand that I might be in Kuching from 25th May – 2nd June. I have to call that off. I was supposed to go for that firefly interview on the 28th which is today but I don’t think I can make it, so screw that la. It’s just a walk in interview anyway and not that I’ve made appointments or what.

So, here I would like to apologize to Mr. Adriano D’Stefano Anak Joseph for not attending your wedding, I did try to contact you but I guess you were so busy running around. Hope you’ll be reading this, if not… Oh well, whatever never mind.

I have a lot of things to be alert about in the coming week; my PTD assessment results should be out and I assume that UPM have finally confirmed my convocation session. I know it will be around 25-29 of August but which day I still don’t know yet and they still don’t know also. What a lousy university. So now I’m confirming that I will be in KL within that period and hopefully I can meet up with whomever that is there. Finally I’m having my convocation and apparently, I was supposed to graduate back three years ago. (They love me so much they don’t want to let me go)

In the next few days you might not be reading any new post from me because I’m going back for gawai and another good news is Digi in my kampung have reached full bar but I will still get my Celcom just in case I’m traveling into inner part of Sarawak, well who knows I might. I will keep you guys update with it. So, guess that’s all for today. See you all in the nearest future.

P/S: I came across Within Temptation while downloading new tracks the other day. You guys should check the band out. If you like Evanescence, you’ll definitely like this one. This is highly recommended to Lola and Mar since you guys like Gothic Rock a lot. I give it 3.5/5. It’s not bad. Sometimes it sounded like Metallica+Enya+Kitaro. Check this song – What have You Done Now. It’s crazy freaking cool!

It’s Friday! This is the day that everyone is looking forward to even though for some might be Saturday well all the best to you but for me everyday is like everyday la. Not that much of a different. I’m sure some of you just can’t wait till it’s 5:00 PM. Weekend here we come!

In the dug-out: Pippo Single Handedly Armed Robbed The KOP!What a sweet, sweet revenge for Milan. A jubilant celebrations in Athens after the La Rossaneri edged EPL flops, Liver-phool 2-1 to lift the The UEFA Champions League Cup for the… was it 7th or 8th time? I can’t recall and two thumbs up to the evergreen Pippo Inzaghi for that it’s-something-that-we rehearsed-in-training-goal and the superb 82nd minute finish after a splendid through pass from Kaka’. Unbelievable? Believe it. Four words to choke upon, Rafa – “Look at me now!”

In the tag-line: Greatest Come Back?
This is something that clement tag me along, so I guess I’ll just do it la. Just in a short post, wouldn’t do me much harm. The tag question was “Which band that is no longer performing that you would like to see back on stage”. Well, to be honest with you, I have a lot. I’m a big fan of Metallica in case you don’t know. I grew up listening to them. My favorite records are Master of Puppets and The Black Album. They still exist and still performing but if you asked me, I’d say I’d love to see the original line up doing some reunion concert. I’d love to have Cliff Burton back, but he’s dead so I guess I would love to see Jason Newstead of Supernova be back with Metallica, Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich still rocks! Metal Militia!

Just in case clement might say that Metallica doesn’t count I’ll go for Soundgarden. I’d love to see Chris Cornell (ex-Audioslave now turns solo) be reunited with Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron (Now with Pearl Jam) and rock the stage with their hit single like spoon man, Blow off The Outside, Bad Motor Finger, Black Hole Sun. I just missed them.

Besides, you don’t see much of a guitar guru macha like Kim Thayil anymore. Moots (PopShuvit) doesn’t really counts, in case you’re wondering.

“Which band that is no longer performing that you would like to see back again and rocking on stage?”

In the press: Challenge of The Telco-Bots
I’ve been going through the papers for this week; I found out that there is a war between 2 of the nation’s top mobile operators and it’s Maxis VS Digi. Looks like Celcom is keeping it quiet and just laughing at one corner saying, “Why bother? I still have the best coverage in Malaysia and you fucking now it!” I’m thinking of getting another number and that would be Celcom because of the wider coverage it has especially in the interior part of Sabah and Sarawak, most important, my kampung. I’ll let you guys know and FYI, I’m throwing away my Maxis but I will still hold on to my I-will-follow-him yellow fella.

In and around: Gawai oh Gawai!
Gawai Dayak is just around the corner. I’m pretty much excited. This morning went for shopping with my mom and dad. Guess what? I bought 2 bottles of Absolute Vodka and 2 cracks of Tiger Beer. Damn I love Gawai. FYI, even though this is not a tax free city, the costs of all that is below RM 250. Unbelievable? Believe it.

Without you
One night alone Is like a year without you baby
Do you have a heart of stone
Without you
Can’t stop the hurt inside
When love and hate collide

Remember that song? I remember that it was played almost every single day on the radio when Vault, The Greatest Hits was released in 1995. I was in my form one back then. I think it was somewhere in between March or April 1995 that I first heard of this song. I still remember that night we were preparing for our school’s Open Day, Pesta Tanjong 1995. I just love that song. It somehow reminds me of the good old days.

I actually have just finished watching Armageddon. Yup, that Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis flick. I don’t know whether you guys still remember or maybe some of you might be too young to remember. It has been like almost eight years since I first watch the movie but hey, the feeling the atmosphere of watching it is still the same as it was eight years ago. Unbelievable, guess good movies doesn’t come in a bundle or at least I believe it that way. Still, the final 15 minutes of the movie is the most touching part of it for me. I might not be big fan of sappy sad movies but this one doesn’t really counts as a sad movie but maybe a bit touchy I guess.

The only time that I went to the cinema was back in 1998. There were still this big old cinema in town and the tickets were price at RM 3 or RM 4 the most. The last movie I watched was Titanic. I didn’t actually finish watching the movie because I was rushing for the bus ride from Miri to Bintulu. That’s the only time that I’ve been to that cinema and the last because nobody goes for that kind of cinema anymore after that. If you didn’t get the picture, try look for cinemas like ODEON, REX, or maybe PAVILLION. I’m talking about those kind of cinema, not TGV or GSC that we are so fond of nowadays.

I missed those type of cinema. The sound system is a bit off la but I think with RM 3, I’d be going there anyway. I mean I still can enjoy the movie even though it’s not in full blast. It’s worth the money what. Bintulu only have one big cinema, which is now where City Point stands. My first ever movie outing was back in 1992, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. My dad’s treat because I passed all my papers with flying colours.

The end of that year, 1998 Star Cineplex emerged in Miri. So, everybody flew off there to watch movie. I guess that’s why the cinema goes bankrupt. Oh, maybe they never produce stuffs for cinemas like that anymore, I’m also not so sure. You see, Cineplex cost us around RM 10. For us boarding school students, that RM 10 is like a few weeks pocket money. So, Laser Disc Theater is still a better option even though it’s RM 20, but you can bring in like 10 people inside and just pay RM 2 per person. In a way it’s much cheaper because they don’t charge you per head.

can click here for map of Miri town, just in case your lost in translations.

That time, Rainbow Laser Disc was super famous. It has a big room, not really can fit in 10 people la but we just make do with what we have. So, we will go out and watch movie there every single week, provide that we have money la. To save budget we walk, don’t want to take bus. Even like from Wisma Pelita to Parkson we still walk but if you ask me to do that now, no way man. It’s like a few kilometers walk. The route for us is so simple. From Wisma Pelita we will walk to Mega Hotel and then straight to Imperial Mall and then Parkson. Dynasty used to be but it was closed down in 1996. That place is cool, well not really la. I went for my first date there. Ha ha ha.. I still remember the name of the place. I think now also closed down, Hungry Horse. I think it is one of the local fast food outlets that we used to have. So, the place got at least something for me to be remembered.

Working for gomen is so tempting nowadays. That is one of the topics discussed during our PTD Assessment Center last month. Well, it’s not just a topic to be discussed but also to be hotly debated. The recent announcement on the pay hike somehow reminded me of that topic. Somewhat I want to call a good news is 15% salary hike for grade 41 officers. Grade 41 is the entry level for any gomen post, means fresh graduate. That’s me, well if I ever get into gomen. It’s not easy also.

Let’s not talk about the working ethics or whether they deserved the rise or things related to that. What matters now is making choices. Which side will I be going to? Go private or go gomen? I have to be honest that I don’t really know what the structure is really like in the gomen sector but from what I heard, I think I got the idea of how is it like, not entirely but enough for me to survive if I decided to be working with them although I still need to do a thorough research on it, just in case. So that tears don’t fall.

I’ve been discussing with dad about the salary hike, trying to understand how the system works, when will it be implemented and what to expect. He was trying to explain the melintang and menegak scale which I think I didn’t get it clearly. The increment differ by what do they call it; let’s just call it “time of service”. I don’t really know the terms in English. Like my dad, officers that have been serving for nearly 30 years, non graduates – he just have SPM (those days SPM results boleh pakai, not like nowadays SPM. It’s Senior Cambridge), the increment is 25%. But still, because we have a lot to pay, not much different la. Unless you have nothing to pay, then you’ll be fucking happy.

I’m not going to make any comparison because I do understand that in the private sector it does varies in terms of fringe benefits and salary scale but here is what I can think of if let say I work for gomen, things that I will enjoy and be facing:

15% Increment in salary – While everyone is happy about the increment, another thing that could just throw the fun away is the price hike in everything. Flour, sugar and fuel to name a few, the increment make no differences. Unless you’re the JUSA (Jawatan Utama Sektor Awam) people. They have 7.5% pay hike while they already have RM 14K per month. For us 15% is like RM 2K. RM 2K –RM 14K, can count the gap la and that’s basic excluding allowances. Let say if you’re working in KL, what’s RM 2K?

Job security – Say, economic slump, which I think will be happening, oh, already happening or menunjukkan ciri-ciri that it will be happening, this is an area which I don’t have to worry about getting my roody pooh candy ass kicked out in order to cut cost and save my fucking retarded workplace against extinction or rolling the mattresses. (Direct translation: Gulung Tikar – Was about to use roll the rattan carpet but mattresses sounds cool, rattan carpet sounds so ulu liddat. Reminds me of The Godfather)

Gomen Loan – After 3 years of service, I will be eligible to apply for gomen loan. 3 years is usually the amount of time it takes to be confirm (Disahkan dalam jawatan) working with gomen department. For PTDs it’s 6 months, depends whether you passed the DPA (Diploma in Public Administration) in 6 months or a year. The earlier you pass the better la. This is actually the part that I kinda like the most. The loan that you will be applying for is basically based on years of service la. What I know is for grade 41; I’m entitled for loans up to RM 200K. Let say, my wife, also a grade 41 officer, we can apply for join loan and basically that is up to RM 400K (RM 200K + RM 200K). The interest rate if I’m not mistaken is 6%, it’s very low and they cut it from your salary, so no hassle. Can buy 2 houses, nice houses. (Of course not in KL la)

Life after service – Pensions and EPF. Now I can choose because now we are given choice. But like me, I think I’d rather have my pensions. That is as for now la. EPF is one lump sum they give you la but then after that finish, finish la. Nothing more but pensions I receive till I die and if I die also still got beneficiary receiving the pensions. At least the welfare is taken care la in a sense.

I have two gomen post in the running, PTD (Diplomatic and Administration Officer) and the KPLI (in other word, teacher la) thing. Not that I’m saying it’s the best job in the world nor urging my peeps to go into gomen but what I’m saying here is if I were to choose to work for gomen, these are the reasons la. Choices are yours to be made. Oh, ya! If you’re thinking of getting rich, don’t go work for gomen. You can be rich la, but it takes time. So if you’re thinking of getting rich in an instant, gomen is not for you. Not to say that money is not important to me but I rather have a stable life and be happy. What matters for me is I live and lead my life well.

P/S: Guys, if you like Bullet For My Valentine, The Lost Prophets I would like to recommend Madina Lake. I would recommend this to Mar and Lola. You’ll love it. I’m currently stuck to “Here I Stand”. I came across the band while browsing through Roadrunner’s website.

Miri-based FAX, owned by some directors of AirAsia, has been operating 22 routes and 104 flights daily in Sabah and Sarawak since August. MAS had been operating the services since they began decades ago but last year gave them up as part of its business turnaround plan aimed at returning the national carrier to profitability.

Well, to be honest I am a bit indifferent to the announcement that Firefly would be flying us in the near future as I do think that the local residents here feel the same way too. What we want is for whoever it is that will be operating the business will be able to provide better services, the name doesn’t really matter.

The reason why we want better services is because the locals here are heavily dependant on good air services to cater their needs to conduct business, attend meetings and meet other commitments and the recent government’s announcement that MAS would be back through Firefly hardly raised any eyebrows. It was something that we pretty much expected. I mean like MAS rural air services (RAS) before they were taken over by FAX last year is no stranger to us as we have experienced enough of the services dished out by both two operators to make comparisons.

A few divisions like Limbang and Lawas need reliable rural air services more than any other towns as they are separated from the rest of the state in Sarawak by the borders with Brunei. Flight delays happened everyday. This is something that really annoys everyfuckingbody here.

On another note, since Firefly is very much a low cost air carrier, I just hope that there will be a better approach in managing the operations and at the same time maintaining low fares as most of the people who are dependant on this rural air services doesn’t come from a filthy fucking rich family. It’s a big hassle but the move is very much of a good news to us in a way. Just hope that all well, ends well.

P/s: I was thinking of applying for the steward post that they advertise on paper a few days ago. They didn’t actually state it there that it’s Firefly but, you know I know la.

me : May the force be with you. I know you might be surrounded by man yoo fans!

During the match,

Charyelle : Wah this game so boring ..

me : Say, like when was the last time you see Chelsea play attractive football? Next to none (supposed to type never)

Charyelle : Got! Against Blackburn. man yoo are known for play good futball but then now …

A few moments later,

Charyelle : Yawnnnnn ………

me : Ha ha ha .. Hopefully when ben Sahar come on can produce magic like last time. Came out and scored two goals. But that was when he was playing for Israel la ..

Charyelle : Where got his name on the bench?

me : Oh .. I missed that one just now. Who’s the substitute striker? I mean out and out one

Charyelle : Kalou, the rest I dun think so ..

After a while, I thought die la, Chelsea lose like this. Frozen Oxygen wish came true la. He said Chelsea will only finish the season with only the League Cup. Die la die la .. How ah? Then 4 minutes before time ..

When I first started out my blog, which was back in 2004, I didn’t really have the problem of naming it. It was the day that I have 2 papers and I skipped class, my Econometrics and Financial Management paper. I was sitting in the computer lab for about almost 2 hours when Kim told me that I should start a blog. I did and the moment I clicked create blog button, the phrase “A Life Less Ordinary” came to mind. I was writing on a regular basis but I will write as if I’m writing a diary, my very own online diary.

After a while, I moved to friendster blog. That was in 2005 and through that friendster blog of mine, I met – oink & Mar and it was a coincident also that Bongkersz, my old pal also have been a little active in blog writing. It was not after a while that I finally decided to move back to blogspot because I find that there is nothing much that I can do with friendster blog, no offense to friendster but I am happy that friendster actually let me experienced for the first time the orgasmic feeling of the word “I have readers“.

Dawn of the new year, I finally moved my blog to wordpress, still with the same title “A Life Less Ordinary” and thought of giving my blog a new face and in a very control and neat environtment. I think I like it here and hopefully I will remain here for a long time.

I remember, like what zewt said in bongkersz hari guru post, Teachers’ Day is actually a very much anticipated day because that’s the day that you can Not study and play. Every 16 of May, we will have teachers performing and “makan makan” and also again, no need to study.

Back then rotan and berjemur is nothing much la. We’re all used to it. But it’s very different with kids nowadays. These days students seems to “untouchables” and pretty much “sissified”. Rotan sikit,sue the teacher, sue the school. Why la? I mean, being a rascal in school, if may say I think some cannings is nothing la. Why need to sue leh? Students nowadays like to be cool, I also like la last time, who doesn’t but then rotan sikit also kenot tahan. How la?

Both of my parents are teachers. So I pretty much know what they’ve been through and given the fact that my parents have been in the industry for nearly 30 years, know how they feel. Let’s just take this week, I mean everyday to remind ourself that without teachers we are nothing but a useless piece of shit, sanctimonious pretentious dastardly bastards with there thumb on the pulse and a finger on the trigger. So, we need to honour them, cause like bongkersz wrote very well in his blog, we are what we are today because of them.

Remember..
Youre a wreck
An accident, forget the freak youre just nature
Keep the gun oiled and the temple clean, shit snort and blaspheme
Let the heads cool and the engine run
Because in then end everything we do…
Is just everything weve done